


Marry me.

by SsadD_l0serS



Series: Klaroline one-shots [2]
Category: The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms, The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Human, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, Drabble, Enemies to Lovers, Engagement, Established Relationship, F/M, Marriage Proposal, One Shot, Secret Relationship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-22
Updated: 2021-01-24
Packaged: 2021-03-14 13:14:31
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,006
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28921164
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SsadD_l0serS/pseuds/SsadD_l0serS
Summary: Series of interconnected one-shots. AU/AHCh.1 Klaus proposes to Caroline not thinking of anyone else it might effect.Ch.2 Caroline and Klaus tell their friends and family.
Relationships: Caroline Forbes/Klaus Mikaelson
Series: Klaroline one-shots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1937017
Comments: 3
Kudos: 53





	1. The engagement

**Author's Note:**

> I loved this idea and figured I could flush it out relatively quickly so here it is.

“Marry me.”

She hadn’t been expecting this. The man of her dreams down on one knee with the most perfect ring asking her to marry her. They had just come back from a movie and she was currently setting takeout Chinese on the kitchen counter. When she turned around, there he was, on one knee. She should’ve been ecstatic, instead she was confused.

“I know it’s not under the best circumstances, but I love you. You are the only person I could ever see myself growing old with, having kids with, loving. I’ve been in love with you for years, much longer than you’ve been in love with me,” He chuckled lightly, eyes still locked on hers. If she didn’t know better she could’ve sworn there were tears in his eyes. “but I can’t imagine not having you in my life, and I want you to be my wife. Whether you want to invite the whole world to our wedding or run down to the courthouse right now, let me have the honor of being your husband.”

By now the tears were overflowing in her eyes and she couldn’t stop them if she had tried. Five years ago, if you had asked Caroline Forbes if she was going to be proposed to by Klaus Mikaelson she would have laughed in your face. And now, here she was.

They first met eight years ago in college. Caroline was set on becoming a journalist and he was branching out on different artistic mediums. For one of her projects, she was paired up with a student from the photography class to write an article with convincing photographs to match. Their partnership quickly morphed into a rivalry when they couldn’t work together on the project at all resulting in a C due to their poor collaboration. Eventually as time went on her entire friend group had a deep-seated hatred for the Mikaelsons and vice versa. This rivalry continued on into adulthood though. Caroline’s main adversary eventually being Kol, both being news reporters constantly bickering over airtime, Elijah and Katherine always on the other sides of a legal battle as lawyers, and Bonnie being an art critic particularly loved picking apart Klaus’ pieces as much as possible.

But, four years ago, during a work party, and Kol bringing Klaus as a plus one to be his ‘wing-man’, Caroline had a guilt-ridden drunken one-night-stand, or so she thought it had been. That one night turned into two nights, and then a week, and suddenly she was fuck buddies with her enemy. 

She hadn’t expected their arrangement to mean anything. Just a way to let off steam when needed. Hate sex and nothing more, but one night, after a year of their agreement, they ran into each other at a bar. Klaus was already fairly drunk and started rambling to her, thinking she was a stranger, about how he was torturing himself with the love of his life. A girl he had been in love with for years and decided having her for a couple nights a week for what she assumed was hate sex was better than never getting to have her at all. Before she was able to comprehend just what he had been saying he had started complaining to the bartender about the beauty of the woman he could never truly have, and she decided to take him home concluding he’d had enough. 

For weeks after that night, she couldn’t bring herself to tell him what he had revealed, but the more she thought about it, the more her own feelings became apparent. She may not have loved him like he did her, but she could see herself getting there. So, she decided to bring it up one night. With a little bit of liquid courage, she asked him, “Have you ever thought of this becoming more?” she knew that after sharing two bottles of wine with him her ideas could be hidden under a drunken musing and he would have no reason to lie. “I have.” was his only response but it was enough for them to start something better. 

They kept it a secret from their friends and families, knowing that it could cause trouble in the balance of their relationship. When his family tried to set him up with women he played it off like he was happy living the bachelor life, and when her friends started introducing her to men she’d do everything she could to scare them away. To the outside world they were two lonely people, behind closed doors they were happy and in love. Last year they decided they wanted to move in together, but they didn’t know how it would work with their agreement to keep it secret, so she didn’t end her lease and simply started staying at his house with 90% of her clothes taking over his closet. 

Now here they were in love and she couldn’t be happier. They had talked about one day maybe getting married if their relationship lasted, but she had no clue what brought this on. How was she supposed to say yes when her friends had no clue she was even in a relationship, but how could she say no? He was the man of her dreams. The one man she wanted to spend her life with.

“Please say something, Love. This floor is cold and hard and I’m trying not to panic.” He said with an uneasy smile.

She chuckled and bent down resting her knees on the floor to be eye level with the man she loved. “Nik. Of course, I’ll marry you.” She watched him let out a breath and smile before leaning in to kiss him softly. “But what the hell are we going to do about your family? My friends.”

“All in due time, My Love.” He took the ring out of the box and slid it on her left-hand ring finger before looking into her eyes and landing a crushing kiss to her lips. Pushing her onto the floor and holding her tightly. Soon clothes were flying, and they were paying no attention to their surroundings. Not noticing the text from Kol telling him to let him into Klaus’ apartment, or the shuffling outside his apartment were someone was looking for a spare key, or his apartment door opening. The only thing that broke them out of their trance was Kol’s loud voice.

“BLOODY HELL, NIK!”


	2. The reveal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Caroline and Klaus reveal their relationship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to make this a series of interconnected oneshots both going into the future of this universe and the past, not gonna regularly upload just when the mood strikes me. This ones a lot longer than the previous.

“BLOODY HELL, NIK! Can’t you sleep with your whores in a respectable place? Or anywhere that you don’t eat?”

Klaus and Caroline were frozen in place not knowing what to do. Caroline was only in her bra and underwear and Klaus was only in his boxers. Klaus’ body was currently covering Caroline’s and they were partially hidden by the island so Kol couldn’t tell who it was but the second he moved it would reveal just what they were postponing. Telling the world about each other.

Caroline looked up at the man on top of her and nodded signaling that it was okay. He got up and scrambled to put his pants on grabbing the closest thing to him to hand to Caroline to cover up. Once she got up Kol’s eyes went wide.

“Caroline?” Klaus sent him a warning look telling him not to say anything that might piss him off. He didn’t listen. “It took you eight years to get into her pants and you can’t even take her to bed?”

“Klaus?” Caroline, now wearing Klaus' signature Henley tried to get his attention whilst picking up her clothes which were strewn about the kitchen. “I’m going to go put some proper clothes on, do you mind explaining the situation? Also put the food away it’s probably already cold.”

“Of course, sweetheart.” He replied leaving Kol dumbfounded at the familiarity between the two instead of their usual hostility. Klaus walked over to the counter and started putting the Chinese food that had been abandoned in the events of tonight away.

“What was that? She already has you whipped?”

Klaus let out a deep sigh before ignoring his comment. “I would like to know how you managed to get into my apartment.”

“Spare key on the doorframe, now what’s going on? She hates your guts.” Klaus had made it a habit to leave a spare key on his doorframe for Caroline before she had started living with him and decided to keep it there because Caroline forgot her keys often on hectic mornings. Now he was regretting that decision.

Once again sighing. “We’re gonna need some wine.” He hollered for Caroline asking if she would like some.

“Have we opened that cabernet?” She hollered back.

Going to the wine cabinet he pulled it out and started to pour three glasses. Kol still confused as to what the hell was going on.

“Nik what am I missing here?”

“As of approximately fifteen minutes ago Caroline is my fiancée.”

He watched as Kol’s jaw dropped and his eyes bulged out of his head. The sight brought a smirk to his face. Caroline walked in wearing sweats with her hair put up in a messy bun.

“I assume you told him.” She stated reaching for the glass of wine.

“He’s still processing.”

“Okay. I am not processing. I am trying to figure out when I was thrown into an alternate dimension where you two can tolerate each other.”

“Look, Kol we weren’t planning on getting engaged before everyone found out, but I think Nik here got a little too excited about the prospect of me never leaving him without extreme legal help.”

“We started seeing each other four years ago. Remember that company holiday party you brought to me to, to be your wingman?”

“I wouldn’t say that’s when we started seeing each other, but that’s when we first slept together.”

“He didn’t need to know that love.”

“Whatever. Look Kol we haven’t figured out how we’re going to tell everyone yet, but if you could keep this quiet until we do, that would be great.”

“Even if I did who would believe me?”

“Exactly. Now why are you here brother?”

“I was going to force you to go clubbing. Guess that’s out of the cards.”

“That it is. Now leave please.”

Kol slowly left the apartment still in a daze of confusion.

“Now where were we love?”

“Klaus! We need to figure out a plan.”

“We can do that in the morning. Right now, I just want to have my way with my fiancée.” Caroline smiled at the new label she had been given.

“Okay, but we’re going to the bedroom I don’t need any more of your siblings coming and ruining this.”

“I agree.” He stated whilst chasing her down the hallway to their bedroom.

\---

The Mikaelsons were all gathered at Klaus’ apartment for some type of dinner. Elijah, Finn, and his wife sage were in a conversation about Finn and Sage’s son Henry when they were interrupted by Rebekah.

“What could Nik possibly have to tell us that would have him invite us over for dinner?”

“Oh sister, I believe you are in for a wonderfully blasphemous surprise.” Kol gave her an impish grin whilst noticing her face contort with annoyance.

“You know something! Tell me.” She yelled about ready to pounce.

“Now, now sister calm down.” Elijah said trying to keep a fight from occurring. “Clearly Niklaus is telling us tonight. Have some patience.”

“Yes. Please Rebekah, have some patience.” Kol echoed riling his sister up even more.

“Kol, please do shut up.” Klaus replied walking into the room in a nice suit. “Now I want to get this over with as soon as possible so you all can deal with it as quickly as possible. Would you please sit.”

Everyone made their way over to the table and Klaus sat at the head. Once everyone was seated and quiet he decided to work his way up to the announcement.

“So, I understand all of you are confused as to why I asked you here.” Kol snorted. “Most of you.” He corrected with a glare directed at Kol. “I have some news, but for you to understand this news I need to tell you a bit of a story. About four years ago Caroline Forbes and I started seeing each other casually, after that things became more, and we have been in a serious relationship for more than three years.”

“Caroline Forbes? As in the whiny bitch that you had a weird obsession with in college?”

“Rebekah.” Finn placated from the other end of the table.

“Anyways. She and I decided that it would be best for the nature of our relationship to remain secret due to the way our family and friends feel towards each other. We didn’t expect to keep it hidden for so long, but it ended up being easier to keep it hidden rather than telling our loved ones. We even found it easy when we started living together.”

“Wait so you started living with someone and no one noticed? How is that even possible?”

“You aren’t very observant. As for her friends, she still held a lease at her apartment. Which she used to hang out with her friends. Though she is now ending her lease because I have asked her to marry me.”

“WHAT!” Rebekah yelled while Kol just snickered and the other family members were left completely shocked.

The first one to sober up was Elijah. “Well brother, though it’s a shock, I am proud of you.”

“Me too.” Finn added. “I’m glad you have found someone you are willing to spend the rest of your life with.”

“Me too, brother.”

“Am I the only one that just heard that? He has been in a secret relationship for four years and now that he’s engaged he decides to tell us?” She looked around the table. “You all seriously can’t be okay with this! She’s a part of the group of people that continually aggravate our family to no end!”

“Rebekah this is me telling you all out of courtesy, so you aren’t shell shocked when she sends out invitations to the wedding. If it were my decision we’d just stop hiding and let you all figure it out for yourselves.”

“That’s how I found out.” Kol chimed in. “Caught them doing it on the kitchen floor after he proposed.”

“Kol.” Klaus growled.

“How about we eat.” Sage said. “and tell us more about this lovely Caroline.”

“She should be bringing home dessert. She’s at her father’s right now.”

After that dinner went rather smoothly if you don’t count Rebekah’s grumbling. Once Caroline made it home with a Bundt cake in hand Rebekah couldn’t take it.

“How are you all acting so okay with this? She just waltzes in here with a Bundt cake like it’s completely normal? She’s Kol’s greatest rival, her best friend is Elijah’s, Bonnie constantly berates Nik’s work, Elena is trying to steal my job, Elena’s boyfriend slept with Finn’s wife when they were going through a rough patch, you should all hate her!”

“Rebekah!” Klaus yelled.

“It’s okay Nik I got this.” She rested her hand on Klaus’ chest to placate him. “Rebekah, I understand that my friends aren’t the best people when it comes to your family, but I love Nik. I couldn’t live without him. I don’t expect you to like me. Though I do hope you’ll understand just how much I love your brother, and he loves me.”

“But-“ Rebekah was cut off by Elijah.

“Rebekah if Katherine weren’t my opponent in the court I would have no desire to continue working. It’s the challenge that makes us both such great attorney’s”

“And Sage and I weren’t together when that happened. We had been together so long we needed time apart and if it weren’t for him we wouldn’t be together today.”

“And though Caroline and I fight over screen time I don’t hate her. Besides, I’m going to be getting more airtime when she goes on her honeymoon and once she starts popping out kids.”

“Thanks, Kol, I guess.” She said unsurely.

“No problem darling.” He smiled back.

“So, none of you really have a problem with this?”

“That’s why we decided to tell you guys first. My friends are unreasonable, plus family should really know of an engagement first.”

Rebekah huffed but stopped complaining after that.

\---

Caroline and Klaus were in their room later that night. Klaus was already in bed and Caroline was removing her jewelry and make up.

“So tomorrow, and then we officially have no one of significance to tell.” She stated.

“Yeah. Tonight, actually went much better than I thought it would.”

“Not me. Elijah and Finn are level-headed and Kol already knew.”

“How did your father and Steven react?”

“Strangely he wasn’t surprised. You wouldn’t know something about that would you?” She asked while crawling into bed next to him.

“Well, I may have brought it up to him last month while at dinner.”

“I can’t believe you actually asked my father for permission to marry me.”

“I can’t believe he actually said yes.”

“We’ve been over this he doesn’t hate you.”

“No, ‘he’s just crass with everyone’.” He repeated what she had been telling him since she introduced him to her father.

“And Steven loves you, so you have that going for you.” She snuggled up into his side as he wrapped his arm around her She breathed in his scent. “Tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow.”

\---

The gang was all mingling in the back room of one of the nicest restaurants in New York City. She was sitting in the corner watching her large group of friends mingle and felt anxiety creep it’s way into her veins. She really wished that Klaus was there beside her to give her support, but he couldn’t. She had to do this herself.

She moved to the group of girls that were talking animatedly.

“Hey.” She gave them her pageant winning smile hoping it would cover up her nerves.

“Oh my god, Care! How did you afford this!”

“It wasn’t too much besides, I have something important to announce.”

“Well, this is too extravagant to be celebrating a promotion.”

“True. Look I’ll tell you guys soon I just wanna make sure I have everyone’s attention.”

“Well let’s get it. EVERYONE CAROLINE’S GOT SOMETHING TO ANNOUNCE!” Everyone turned to look at her expectantly.

“Wasn’t quite ready for that Kat.”

“Sorry, she’s already had a few.” Elena replied whilst taking the champagne glass away from her sister.

“Well, since I have everyone’s attention I guess I should start.” She took a deep breath. “I have been hiding something from you all for a while and I want you to keep an open mind when I tell you this. I have been seeing someone for the past couple of years. It started out as no strings attached sex, but inevitably grew into more. I found out he was in love with me and realized I was too.” She took another deep breath as her nerves started to grow. “We’ve been in a serious relationship for three years now, and last week, he proposed. I was going to tell you all much earlier, but it never felt like the right time, then he proposed, and I realized I couldn’t keep us a secret anymore.” She looked at all her friends confused and shocked faces. “He’s here now but he’s waiting outside the room. The reason I reserved this room is cause in an hour his friends and family, as well as my dad and Steven are coming for an engagement party. I want you all to remember that I love him, and I’m not leaving him no matter what, but I understand if you don’t want to stay after I introduce you.” She watched all of her friends start murmur about why she’d keep this a secret.

“Care, you know we’d love whoever he is right?” Bonnie protested.

“I just don’t see why you wouldn’t tell us earlier.” Elena tacked on.

“You’ll see.” Caroline replied before downing her flute of champagne. “I’ll go get him.” She head out the door leaving the large group of friends to speculate as to who he could be.

“I so wish you could have been in there. It would have made it so much easier.” She said to her fiancé standing in the hallway that led to the room.

“If I was in there it would have made it ten times harder.” He said while pulling her into a hug.

“I know.” She murmured into his chest. “Let’s get this over with.”

They walked into the room his arm wrapped over her shoulders and her arm around his waist and saw as everyone’s excited, yet confused faces fell.

“Klaus?” Elena was the first to break the silence.

“Lured into the lion’s den, ay blondie?” Damon smirked beside Elena.

“You’re planning on marrying Klaus?” This time coming from Tyler from the back of the group.

“Why is he here?” Klaus growled into her ear.

“He’s apart of my friends, be nice.” She whispered back. “I know this is a shock, but this doesn’t change anything. Please understand.”

“How are we supposed to understand Caroline? He and his family ruin our lives constantly.”

“That’s not true, Elena. A lot of us wouldn’t be where we are without the Mikaelsons.” Caroline tried to reason with her, but it wasn’t getting through.

“I’m not gonna listen to this.” She watched as one of her best friends walked out of the room not saying any more.

“I’m sorry, Blondie, I’ll talk to her.” She nodded back at him trying to keep tears from invading her eyes.

Klaus pulled her closer and placed a kiss at the crown of her head. “We knew there was a chance this would happen.”

“I know.” She said before bonnie came up to her and gave her and Klaus a soft smile.

“If you’re happy, I’m happy.” Her smile widening as Caroline’s face brightened. “Now I know why you never commented on my articles about his work.”

Caroline started laughing and detached from Klaus to hug her. “Thank you.”

Everyone else started slowly offering their congratulations whilst still looking a little uneasy about the prospect of one of their friends joining the family they all hated. Eventually everyone continued on with the dinner party and conversations turned from the shocking engagement to other things while more people showed up.

“How are you doing love?” Klaus asked coming up behind her and giving her a new glass of champagne.

“You need to stop liquoring me up. I don’t want to be drunk when this inevitably all goes to hell.”

“Since when are you the pessimist in this relationship?” She took a sip of the champagne not meeting his eyes. He gently lifted her chin forcing her to. “Tonight is going to go well, sweetheart. Don’t doubt it.”

“Elena already stormed off, and I can tell that the rest of the group has one foot out the door.”

“Come on they’re about to serve dinner.”

“I’m going to go freshen up before everyone sits down.” She leaned up to place a feather-light kiss on his lips. “Come get me if everyone starts to sit down. I don’t want to hold everyone up.” She kissed him again before leaving the room.

She was washing her hands and checking her makeup in the mirror when she heard the door open. She turned around to see Tyler closing the door behind him.

“Tyler? This is the women’s room.”

“I know I just needed to talk to you.” She didn’t protest just gave him an annoyed look. “Klaus? Seriously, Care?”

“You don’t have a say in who I choose to be with anymore Tyler.”

“I know.” He took a deep breath trying not to get angry. “But, I was with you when you met him. You _loathed_ him. I just don’t see how anything could change that. I mean basically everyone in our entire group hates him and everyone in his family because of your initial hatred of him.”

“You haven’t seen our relationship. You didn’t see me fall in love with him. I understand it’s hard to wrap your head around when it seems I just decided to marry him on a whim, but I didn’t I’ve been in love with him for years, and he’s been in love with me even longer.”

“I guess I just never thought it was truly over between us.”

“It’s been over four years Ty how could you think that door hadn’t closed. Even forgetting that you cheated on me, do you ever think I could forgive you for that? It’s been over for years, and you are happy with Liv, right?”

“I am. This just seems so final.”

“It is, and that’s a good thing. I want to spend my life with him. I’ve never felt that way before.”

“Not even with me?”

“I expected with you, I assumed we’d be together forever. We were highschool sweethearts that’s how it was supposed to be, but I don’t think either of us wanted that. If you did you never would have slept with someone else, and I wouldn’t have been able to move on so quickly.”

“I’m happy for you, Care.”

“Thank you.”

That’s when Klaus walked in to tell her everyone was getting ready to sit down.

“Sweetheart, you should- Oh. Tyler.” He grumbled.

“It’s okay Nik we were just talking.” She moved over and placed her hand on his chest. He smiled down at her.

“Okay this is not normal.” Tyler said from behind the couple.

“Come on. Let’s get some food.” She said pushing Klaus through the door, so he didn’t attack Tyler.

Everyone went to sit down while the food came out. Before anyone could start to eat though Klaus stood up to make a toast.

“I know some of you here knew the nature of Caroline and my relationship. Even going so far as to help me pick out her ring.” He gestured to Marcel and Davina who were sitting next to Kol and Rebekah, Kol obviously trying to charm Davina by trying to distract her from the speech. “But, most of you here had no clue we could even tolerate each other until tonight. And I would like to amend that by telling you our story. I would also like to preface this by saying I am only being this vulnerable for her benefit and it will never happen again. Now, everyone here has some idea of how we met. A journalism project from hell leading to a rivalry between a family and a tight knit group of friends. What some of you might not know, was that during that short month where we were partners I was slowly falling in love with this woman.” He looked down at the blonde beauty beside him who was wearing a dazzlingly beautiful smile. “I quickly found she had a boyfriend and hated myself for having any sort of feelings for her when I knew she could never reciprocate them. Just reinforcing what my father drilled into me all those years ago.” Caroline grasped his hand in support. “So, I was particularly difficult when we were working on the project, and I can now say that that C was completely my fault and Caroline definitely deserved an A.” She let out a laugh as well as a few around the table. “Then our paths kept crossing, rivalries were formed, and she hated me. Thankfully, that didn’t stop me. One night after Kol brought me along to a work party she revealed to me that her longstanding, though on and off relationship, was officially over. That night I decided to tell her how I felt, and chickened out. Which led to her thinking it was a drunken one-night stand rather than the best night of my life. Soon we made an arrangement, of which I will spare the details because Caroline’s father and stepfather are here,” Caroline smacked him to which he just smirked. “she continued hating me and I continued silently torturing myself with her. Which led to me drunkenly revealing to her and a random bartender just how much I loved her not understanding that she was indeed Caroline and not some random blonde at a bar that reminded me of her, I still don’t remember what I said that night because Caroline here refuses to tell me, but it sent her running for the hills. Which was very confusing for someone that had no clue why the girl he was secretly in love with was ghosting him for two weeks after a seemingly perfect year of torturous bliss. Then one night she showed up at my door with two bottles of wine. That night we decided to try something more meaningful, more serious. She wouldn’t tell me why she decided to have a serious relationship with me until almost a year later. That is all to say, I have a lot of people to thank for my finding the woman by my side. And I can’t wait to have her apart of my life forever.”

Caroline stood up with tears in her eyes and gave him a sweet kiss looking into his eyes. “I love you.”

“Now that that’s over let’s eat.” He stated before sitting back down with Caroline.

Out of the corner of her eye she saw Elena and Damon standing at the entrance to the secluded room. Elena’s face contorted into confusion and an underlying hint of understanding. Damon caught her eye and winked at her before bringing Elena farther into the room and sitting at the two empty seats reserved for them.

The rest of the night went surprisingly well, and Caroline found herself mingling well with the combined group and hoped that there would be less hostility from now on. Everything was oddly coming together when she assumed it would all fall apart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also was starting to get a migraine about halfway through writing this so any typos I will fix later. (hopefully). Hope you enjoy let me know what you thought also tell me any other oneshots you might want to see in this universe, though I already have a few planned. Okay thank you for reading good night.


End file.
